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The Dark Apostle's Tome

Norwescon 39

Lots of excitement and energy this year as Norwescon 39 quickly approaches. Programming has done an exceptional job in promoting diversity in subject matter while welcoming new panelists to share the spotlight alongside returning favorites. Writing Track alone has a higher percentage of pros who are new to Norwescon than have participated in a long while. I’m looking forward to having a drink or few with old friends after much too long an absence, as well as the opportunity to remedy those relationships that need mending. Here is my schedule per the program guide for March 24-27, 2016:

Mar 24, 3PM – “Your Story is a Problem, and That’s Good”. A story is about a problem. Your hero has to solve that problem. How do you balance the two? Listen as our pros share how they scale their crises and heroes with a fit that’s dramatically plausible and satisfying.

Mar 24, 6PM – “Patterns of Success, Patterns of Failure”. Rituals of productivity: every writer has them. The things we think we need in order to be creative. Share with our panelists what works, what does not, and what might be outright destructive.

Mar 24, 8PM – “How a Writers Workshop Changed My Life”. Writers workshops can be positive forums for young creativity in development. But for some they can lead to false expectations and disappointment. Hear panelists share their experiences in writers workshops, and perhaps share your own as well.

Mar 25, 2PM – Writers Workshop: Tracy Durnell

Mar 25, 4PM – “The Art of Writing It Again”. Your editor orders a major rewrite of your masterpiece. How exactly do you go about doing it? Discuss with our panelists how to best cope with revision while still keeping true to the story you wanted to tell in the first place.

Mar 25, 6PM – “Writing is a Long Con”. Most overnight successes take ten years. You have to think big picture, write for the long haul, and understand it’s a long game. Pros will talk about strategizing long-term and how to give yourself every advantage for enduring success.

Mar 26, 10AM – Writers Workshop: Shweta Sundararajan

Mar 26, 12PM – ” Fundamentals of Worldbuilding”. Story arises from what your characters want and need, not from where they live. Learn from our panel of worldbuilders how your planet, kingdom, or landscape can inform the characters and how to keep the story apace without overwhelming the narrative with geographic or cultural details.

Mar 26, 2PM – Autograph Session 1

Mar 26, 7PM – “Worldbuilding: Gods, Religion, and Mythos”. What makes for a compelling mythos? How do characters correctly or mistakenly address these aspects in their narrative? Join our pros as they discuss the nuances of balancing these three elements in a fantasy setting.

Mar 26, 830PM – Reading: “Evensong, Having been Answered”

Mar 27, 2PM – “Worldbuilding: Alien Means Different”. Speculative fiction is filled with alien societies and characters based on all-too-human quirks and cultural traits. A convenient shortcut, or creatively lazy? Discuss how writers build worlds that are truly alien yet are still relatable to readers.